Study Desk

You are our father. Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob do not acknowledge us, but you, Lord , are our father, the one who has always rescued us.

You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live. You were angry with us, but we went on sinning; in spite of your great anger we have continued to do wrong since ancient times.

But you are our father, Lord . We are like clay, and you are like the potter. You created us,

The Lord said, "I was ready to answer my people's prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.'

"I have already decided on their punishment, and their sentence is written down. I will not overlook what they have done, but will repay them

"But it will be different for you that forsake me, who ignore Zion, my sacred hill, and worship Gad and Meni, the gods of luck and fate.

And so I tell you that those who worship and obey me will have plenty to eat and drink, but you will be hungry and thirsty. They will be happy, but you will be disgraced.

They will sing for joy, but you will cry with a broken heart.

My chosen people will use your name as a curse. I, the Sovereign Lord , will put you to death. But I will give a new name to those who obey me.

Listen to what the Lord says, you that fear him and obey him: "Because you are faithful to me, some of your own people hate you and will have nothing to do with you. They mock you and say, ‘Let the Lord show his greatness and save you, so that we may see you rejoice.' But they themselves will be disgraced!

and will know that I am the one who punishes them. "But I will spare some of them and send them to the nations and the distant lands that have not heard of my fame or seen my greatness and power: to Spain, Libya, and Lydia, with its skilled archers, and to Tubal and Greece. Among these nations they will proclaim my greatness.

But the Lord said to me, "Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say.

Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land—the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people—will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord , have spoken."

I brought them into a fertile land, to enjoy its harvests and its other good things. But instead they ruined my land; they defiled the country I had given them.

No other nation has ever changed its gods, even though they were not real. But my people have exchanged me, the God who has brought them honor, for gods that can do nothing for them.

I planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. But look what you have become! You are like a rotten, worthless vine.

Israel, don't wear your feet out, or let your throat become dry from chasing after other gods. But you say, ‘No! I can't turn back. I have loved foreign gods and will go after them.'"

You will all be disgraced—you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.

I punished you, but it did no good; you would not let me correct you. Like a raging lion, you have murdered your prophets.

Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted.